* Received a copy for review.*
There was such promise in this premise. However the choice of tense made this book difficult to get into. I tried really hard but there was not enough for me to stick with.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Overly Simplified Plot;
Set in 1799 London - The story follows Dora as a Greek pithos is delivered to her family’s store. The store is run by her Uncle, ever since her parents died when she was younger. The shop has gone further away from its previously glory and into a more questionable direction! The arrival of the pithos gives her a chance to rewrite her life and work towards restoring the family’s store…while unraveling the “mystery.”

Thoughts:
This historical fiction intertwines three POVs to deliver an entertaining read. It was atmospheric. The mystery, intrigue and romance was an effective mix. If you like all those things then this is the book for you!

Thank you to Susan Stokes-Chapman, Harper Perennial, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

I liked a lot of elements of this book. I enjoyed that it combined elements of things I am interested in: historical England, mythology, archeology, antiquing., a bit of romance. The plot was enjoyable and I actually like that it was told from three different perspectives, including the villain's.

I with mythology was woven into the story more. Based on the summary, I thought mythology would come more into play. There were hints throughout the novel of mythological figures being involved but I wanted more. The tie to mythology really just comes from the archaeology of a Grecian site.

Definitely worth the read, especially if you like archaeology and antiques. This is a good debut and I am interested in seeing more from this author.

It is the very end of the eighteenth century, and Pandora Blake—known as Dora—lives at the edge of London society. Despite the opposition of her obnoxious uncle Hezekiah and his live-in housekeeper/mistress Lottie, neither of whom has much interest in their orphaned charge, Dora has a dream. She wants to sketch jewelry designs that will appeal to the beauties of the haut ton, in the process earning Dora a livelihood sufficient to free her from her family’s antique shop, now in decline due to Hezekiah’s mismanagement. To that end, Dora spends hours in her attic bedchamber drawing with only her beloved magpie, Hermes, for company.

Even before we meet Dora in this enchanting yet troubling tale, we have encountered an unnamed diver bent on retrieving the cargo from a scuttered ship somewhere in the Mediterranean. It soon becomes clear that the mysterious cargo includes a massive Greek vase (more properly, a pithos, used for storing wine or grain), which Hezekiah acquires, together with a shipment of Greek pottery. Dora at first believes this is an attempt to save the store, but her uncle’s behavior raises questions—not least whether he obtained the pithos legally. To find out what Hezekiah has in mind, Dora enlists the help of a bookbinder, Edward Lawrence, setting them off on a journey that will lead deep into Dora’s past.

This is a novel of many layers, as intricately plotted as Dora’s jewelry designs, which seem to have inspired the book’s gorgeous cover. The characters and setting are Dickensian, yet the themes are modern and the reconsideration of the mythical story of Pandora’s Box rings true. Definitely a book worth reading.

I will be interviewing this author for the New Books Network (link below) in January 2023.

I initially thought this would be a little more fantastical, but it wasn’t. I can’t say I’m mad at there result though.

Pandora is a story about finding yourself despite the darkness that surrounds you. It’s about the love of family and abuse. There were also some very good observations of class and gender.

I loved Dora’s character. She’s determined, intelligent, and passionate.

I would not classify it fantasy or recommend it to someone looking for a fantasy read. The plot only really skirts the idea of "bad luck" and the contents of Pandora’s box without outright naming the box as the cause explicitly. It is mostly historical fiction with an underlying hetero-romantic plot.

Pandora was a unique, intricately written retelling of the Pandora myth that was riddled with Grecian culture and lore. Personally, I don’t tend to read too much historical fiction, but I think I need to start because I found myself completely drawn in by the setting of this story and the archeological perspective surrounding the antiquities.

While the story itself wasn’t the most “exciting”, it was still very intriguing. At times, thing felt a little slow, but I still really enjoyed the interweaving of the characters and the clear research that went into developing this story. I enjoyed the characters, though I’ll admit I shipped the MMC with a different person.

I think I’d try another book by this author in the future. I’m curious to see how their writing continues to grow in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own.

Pandora is an incredibly atmospheric read, blending 1799 England with Greek Mythology. I'm a sucker for Greek Mythology! It is told from 3 different viewpoints, which I'm not usually a fan of (*cough* Lucy Foley *cough*), but I did not mind with Pandora. I actually felt it was necessary and added much more to the story than just a linear view.

Pandora will you draw you in and you will be losing sleep to finish it.

Grab it ASAP - you won't be disappointed!

First line: He had not allowed for the weight.

Summary: Dora, an orphan and aspiring jewelry designer, has spent the last several years living above her uncle’s antiquities shop. Then one day a special delivery comes that sparks her interest and creates new ideas for her designs. She sneaks into the basement she finds a pithos but with little knowledge of its value she invites a young scholar, Edward Laurence to examine it. And what he finds is astounding. But since the arrival of the pithos Dora’s uncle has been acting strangely and she starts to fear that something dangerous is on the horizon.

My Thoughts: This was an enjoyable debut novel. I liked its time period and setting. However, the characters did not seem to be complete. I saw one review where Dora’s uncle was described as cartoonish and I believe this is an apt assessment. The mystery did not seem too hard to figure out. I think my favorite part was Hermes the magpie. I also loved the cover. It is a good start for a new author.

This is a cozy fantasy of deceit and intrigue with our protagonist. Dora (Pandora) who works at her uncles antique store. Who dreams of making ornate jewelry and is often met with negativity from her uncle. When Edward comes into her life, a whole new journey begins to unfold for Dora. Uncovering a web of lies and treachery along the way. Yet, mega cozy vibes. Cup of tea book vibes.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc

Set in Georgian England, this is a lovely little historical mystery that ties into Greek mythology. Pandora Blake is a young woman, orphaned then raised by her uncle when he took over her father's antiquities business. He is, unfortunately, kind of terrible, so Dora has been hard at work on her jewelry designs so that she can support herself and get out from under her uncle's thumb. When her uncle acquires a large antique Greek pithos, he hurriedly locks it in the basement and starts behaving strangely. Dora, of course, can't resist the challenge so she and a friend start sneaking into the basement to sketch the vase and catalogue the other antiquities languishing in the dark cellar. The vase, however, holds a secret that threatens to destroy everything Dora holds dear.

I really enjoyed this story! Hermes the magpie is, as all fictional magpies are, enchanting. Pandora is realistic and relatable, as is Edward, while Dora's uncle makes a perfect villain. I'd consider this book well-paced, not too fast or too slow, and I thought the reveal of the family secret was built up perfectly. I also loved all the historical details that were included, and the author's note sheds light onto the liberties she took with specific dates and "real" persons.

Highly recommend this one! Thank you to Susan Stokes-Chapman, Harper Perennial, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

I have been anticipating this book ever since it released in the UK; and now that ARCs are available across the pond, I can unreservedly say Susan Stokes-Chapman’s “Pandora” did not disappoint me. The story feels like “The Mummy,” Greek mythology, and the vibes of “The House at Vesper Sands” got mixed together in a Greek pithos to make this wonderfully engaging tale of antiquities, curses, coming of age, and young love. I blazed through this book in less than 24 hours and I highly recommend it. Also, on a “lesser” note, the cover is to die for, whatever country you purchase it in.

Pandora. This work of fiction is based in Georgian England and is interspersed with Greek mythology, specifically that of Pandora and her pithos. It tells of Pandora Blake, orphaned at a young age by her antiquitarian parents and under the care of her dodgy uncle who is running the shop her parents left into ruin. Edward Lawerence is thrown into the mix by a bloke who knows of the Blake's to help get him into his Society. And then there's Hermes, Pandora's trusty magpie.

This is told through Pandora, Edward and Hezekiah's POVs. You get a taste for her uncles greed immediately but the further you delve into this mystery, the more you get into just how far he will go in his greed.

There is a light romance and love triangle in it. There is a good amount of detail in the book and I liked that. The pacing stayed consistent throughout and Dora was quite likeable.

I'd only like to know more about this sparkling blue eyed bloke with the grey beard...

This is the story of Dora - her parents have died under mysterious circumstances, and she is now under the care of her shifty uncle and working alongside him at her parents antique shop. The setting was so atmospheric; this combined with the different POVs makes for an intriguing story. When a Greek vase ends up at the shop, Dora and antiquarian Edward Lawrence begin to dive into its history. What Dora finds brings her own history colliding with the vase’s! This book was so engaging and beautifully written, it’s difficult to believe this is a debut novel. I will certainly be keeping my eye out for more from this author in the future.

I always love fantasy books and this one was no exception. I always love the settings and worlds that are built in fantasy books. Can I just live in this one??

Eight years ago, Dora’s parents passed away in a tragic accident leaving Dora in the care of her uncle. Edward has spent his life striving for more than a life binding books while working to forget the past. When the two meet, a series of events are set in motion that neither could have expected.

My official rating for this book is 3.5. I love Greek mythology & enjoyed the way the author was able to tie it into the story without making it seem completely absurd. The story itself was well thought out and written but I felt that it was very slow to start & then the ending was extremely rushed. While Dora, Edward & Dora’s uncle were clearly the focal point of the story, I felt that the characters with the best arc were Lottie & Ashmole. Although their roles were not nearly as large, the author was truly able to capture their importance and bring them to life.

Overall, I enjoyed the story but would have loved if the ending wasn’t so abrupt.

*Thank you #NetGalley & Harper Perennial for providing me with a free copy of #Pandora for my honest review*

I throughly enjoyed this novel. In fact, it’s one of the few lately that has held my attention throughout the entire story. While I could see a few things coming, I never felt like rushing though it. I would definitely recommend it to friends.

I received this from netgalley in exchange for a review.

I was not as familiar with the myth of Pandora’s Box, but this book was definitely intriguing. I really loved Dora, and enjoyed that the other characters felt so fully fleshed out. The switching between three points of view was a little bit to get used to, but then I enjoyed it. I’d like to have gotten a little bit more of what happened after the end of the book, mostly cause I enjoyed Dora so much and want to make sure she has all the good things.

Warning: there is a pet death in the book.

I really wanted to like this book and gave it the best try I could but DNF at about 40%.

Based on the description it had all the ingredients for a beautiful and magical story, combining 1799 England with Greek mythology, archeology, antique shops, and a little romance. However, it reads terribly slow, even the mysterious parts (from what I got to) felt mundane, and the characters never captured me.

I’m giving this book 2-stars because I think the premise has so much promise, it just didn’t live up to it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for providing this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 stars for me. The Greek mythology aspect is what made me love this book alot more than I thought!! The element of historical fiction into Greek myth was superb 👌

A mysterious artifact from Ancient Greece, murder, mystery, romance and Greek myths can be found within the pages of Pandora. Ms Stokes-Chapman’s debut novel introduces us to Pandora "Dora" Blake. After the death of her parents while on an expedition searching for the legendary Pandora's box, Dora now finds herself under the care of her often neglectful and irresponsible uncle. That legendary item would find its way back into Dora's life and turn her world completely upside down. Her own desires to become a jewelry designer and make her own way in the world bring her into direct contact with the mysterious artifact and bring about a chain of events that change her life forever.

A story with Greek myths, legends and forbidden romances that will have you racing to the finish line to find out the secrets of the pythos.